120: Deep Valley

Mistress Zhu was indeed vicious; she had nearly lost her life and had her eyes gouged out, condemned to live the rest of her days in terror. As for Master Zhu, while he had committed no heinous crimes and had performed countless acts of charity throughout his life, he was overly obsessed with his reputation. He was a hypocrite who had not only driven his first wife to a tragic death but had also caused the successive passings of his son and daughter.

Shen San, however, grew impatient. He flicked his dharma sword and reprimanded, "The world of the living has its laws, and the underworld has its own statutes. You are bent on malice and have slaughtered living beings; even if you harbor grievances as vast as the heavens, you cannot be tolerated."

With that, he struck with his sword. The movement was grand and imposing, yet it turned out to be all thunder and no rain; by the time the strike reached the woman, it merely blew her back a few paces.

"You hypocrites, you truly deserve a wretched death!"

Though the woman was now a ghost, devoid of human nature and filled with venomous resentment, she was not foolish. Realizing she was no match for Yi Fan and Shen San, she feigned a desperate, suicidal charge toward Master Zhu.

"How bold! You are truly courting death."

Enraged, Shen San held back no longer. He swung his blade with full force, striking her. A piercing shriek erupted as the woman dissolved into mist and vanished, leaving the room devoid of its icy chill.

Despite this, Yi Fan was in no hurry. He exchanged a glance with Shen San and curled his lips into a smile; he had sensed a wisp of the woman's remnant soul hiding in the corner. Assuming they were unaware, the soul remained still. Yi Fan pretended not to notice, turned to Master Zhu, and said, "Master Zhu, the evil ghost has been eradicated. We shall not linger any longer; farewell."

After speaking, he walked out of the room as if he had forgotten about the matter of payment, leaving behind a dazed and agonized Master Zhu.

Once the two had stepped outside, Master Zhu sat on the floor for a long time. Suddenly, he felt a wave of icy coldness wash over him. He shuddered, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted. Yi Fan and Shen San, having already left the room, paused upon sensing the situation inside. They did not intervene; Master Zhu was a man who possessed a reputation but had committed many wrongs—letting him suffer a bit was fitting, and it would not cost him his life.

There was no one left outside the house; the martial artists had fled long ago. The two men did not tarry, exiting the Zhu estate and ducking into an alley. Waiting there were seven or eight disciples of the Mount Shu Sword Sect, including Fairy Gu She.

"Uncle-Master, Yi Fan and I have dispersed the evil ghost's soul. We kept a remnant, and as long as she harbors such deep resentment, she will surely seek out the old demon’s hiding place to consolidate her spirit."

Yan Chixia, lying on a high wall with a wine jug in hand, laughed, "You lad are far more reliable than your master. That old urchin spends his days tricking me out of my wine and always makes excuses when I ask for help."

Shen San offered an awkward smile, not responding. While his master was indeed unconventional, he was not as unreliable as Yan Chixia claimed, but it was not his place to judge the affairs of his elders.

"Dull, so dull," Yan Chixia remarked. He glanced at Gu She, who was sitting serenely on the back of an old donkey. He wanted to make a joke, but considering her temperament, he feared she might take it seriously, so he swallowed the words back.

Before long, the group sensed a cold, ghostly aura drifting upward, transforming into a wisp of blue smoke that flew off into the distance. They followed quietly. Although it was night, the moonlight was bright, yet the path was treacherous. Fortunately, they were no ordinary people and did not stumble. After a swift journey, they arrived at a great mountain.

The towering mountain stood before them like a beast lurking in the darkness, its massive maw agape, waiting for them to enter.

"The old demon must be hiding within this mountain. One can only wonder what evil deeds it is committing in the shadows," Yi Fan said. During their journey, he and Shen San had briefly explained the situation, allowing the others to understand that somewhere in this mountain lay the hiding spot of the Black Mountain Old Demon’s avatar.

The group suppressed their magical energy and followed the smoke. After traveling a distance, the wisp lingered in the air, seemingly hesitant, before plunging into the mountain.

Within the desolate mountains, there were naturally no paths, and no living souls ventured here. Dense leaves obscured the moonlight, and thick branches blocked their way. After passing through countless mountain hollows, they finally stopped.

It was a mountain cliff, walled in on both sides to form a large, natural hollow. Under the moonlight, it resembled a giant cave, with mountain winds whistling through to create a shrill, roaring sound.

Yi Fan, following behind Gu She, pinched a spell with his fingers and wiped it across his eyelids. His vision cleared instantly. Looking ahead, he saw the vast hollow churning with ghostly energy, like a gateway to the depths of the underworld. Amidst this ghostly aura, a terrifying, tangled demonic presence could be seen, restraining the energy and preventing it from spreading.

It was truly a place of malevolence.

"Disciples, take heed! Unsheathe your dharma swords, protect your bodies, and follow me down to slay the demon," Yan Chixia commanded coldly. He leaped down, stepping onto the jagged rocks of the cliff face, descending rapidly. The other Mount Shu disciples followed; though not as effortlessly as Yan Chixia, their martial skills were exceptional, and with secret arts to aid them, their speed was not slow.

Yi Fan, however, was troubled. Though he possessed light-body techniques, this high cliff was not flat ground, and he lacked the secret arts of the others. To get down would take significant effort, and he feared that by the time he reached the bottom, the battle would already be underway.

Suddenly, Gu She grabbed Yi Fan by the collar. Before he could react, she leaped. She did not use any leverage, falling straight down. Yi Fan was so startled he almost screamed, but he held it in, lest he lose face.

As they neared the ground, Gu She took a breath, gliding like a swallow in the air before landing safely. The Mount Shu disciples had already formed their sword formation.

Yi Fan stood firm and touched his dharma bag, which contained nearly a hundred talismans he had crafted during this time—the perfect tools for dealing with ghosts and monsters.

Suddenly, the "Yan Ghost" that had followed them sniffed the air, pointing into the distance and letting out a low, excited growl. Yan Chixia turned back and laughed, "Little Friend Yi, you are truly fortunate. This strange beast is incredibly sensitive to ghostly auras. Even I could only barely perceive it, yet it points it out directly. If cultivated properly, it will be an invaluable assistant."

The Yan Ghost understood the praise, dancing and grinning. Yi Fan gave it a light knock on the head, exasperated by the creature's lack of composure.

With everyone prepared, Yan Chixia took the lead, the Mount Shu disciples followed in formation, and Gu She and Yi Fan brought up the rear.

They traveled several miles in this manner. The strange rocks grew more numerous, the fog thicker. Areas that had been bare now held towering trees, and from the depths came shrill, mournful cries from time to time.

The further they went, the more they realized something was wrong. No matter how they moved forward, they were always met with trees, their branches and leaves obscuring the path. The fog rendered their vision useless; had they not opened their "Dharma Eyes," they would not have been able to take a single step further.

Finally, Yan Chixia shouted coldly, "Stop your posturing! Show yourself!"

With a sharp whistle, a dharma sword leaped into the air, tearing through the void and plunging deep into the thick fog. A scream echoed out, the fog retreated, and the sword flew back.

Looking at the path ahead, they saw that at some point, they had been surrounded by thousands of ghosts, all perched upon the trees, staring at the group.